The Labyrinth
by DKing1213
Summary: Takes place during Miles' senior year at Culver Creek. A fan-sequel to Looking for Alaska. Miles meets a new girl and an unexpected turn of events occurs. Just read it.
1. Return to the Creek

**THE LABYRINTH****  
><strong>

ONE DAY BEFORE

_Alaska,_

_Do you remember the __Christmas __break when everyone except for you and me went off to be with their families for the holiday? When we drank that Strawberry Hills wine and laughed until our sides hurt? And that one night…dang it, Alaska! Why did you have to do it? I know you can't hear me, but Alaska Young, I still love you..._

I was writing to Alaska when The Colonel nonchalantly popped his head into room 43 with a puzzled look on his face.

"Hey, Pudge," said The Colonel with a tone of voice that matched his face, "I think you need to come and see what's happening out here!"

Instinctively, I was curious. I closed the journal that held my writings to Alaska and tucked it between my mattress and box spring. I walked outside to see a throng of people grouped around room 143, Alaska's old dorm room. The Colonel had gone inside for some reason, but had come back out with his ambrosia, a creation of his that was a mixture of five parts milk and one part vodka. He had established a spot on the porch where he sat and drank his ambrosia. To him, ambrosia was a fallback option to battle his grief that came with the loss of Alaska.

"What's going on at Alaska's dorm?" I asked. We called it Alaska's dorm because it was hers and always would be.

"Well, Pudge," The Colonel said, resting an arm on my shoulder, "there's a new girl in town and she's taking Alaska's dorm."

"Not if I can help it."

"Good luck convincing the Eagle, Pudge. Y'know, his decisions are final."

"I'll do my best to convince him."

I attempted to run across the campus of Culver Creek at full speed, but the heat got to me and I collapsed. I guess I underestimated my ability to withstand heat and stress. I lay there, breathing heavily, when The Colonel came over, all five foot nothing of him, and helped me up. The force of his pulling on my arm almost took it out of socket. Nonetheless, he helped me up. He pointed me toward the air-conditioned nurse's dorm where I could rest it out. I staggered on the first step, but worked out my balance and walked into the dorm. I picked out a cushioned chair that was like the couch in room 43; leather ripped and foam exposed. Well, at least it was comfortable. There was a nurse, but she scarcely came in to check in on the students. At Culver Creek, the students helped themselves whether it be a bloody nose or coughing up pieces of lungs. There was a group of Weekday Warriors that used the dorm as a smoking ground. Because of that, it smelled of cigarette smoke and beer. I was almost Galway asleep sitting up when I heard a creak followed by a slam of the screen door. I woke from my daze immediately. Walking through the door was the second most beautiful thing that I had ever seen in my short eighteen years of life (the first obviously being Alaska Young). A tall blonde girl, most likely a freshman or a sophomore, wearing a tight, pink tank top and short, cut off shorts and black Converse was standing at the nurse's front desk with a confused look on her face.

"The nurse is almost never here." I said, voice quivering.

The girl jumped.

"Sorry. You must be the new girl."

I stood up and walked out of the dark back room and into the lit front nurse's room.

"Yeah," she said with a clear, melodic voice, "I'm in dorm 143, the one that smells faintly of cigarette smoke and Mountain Dew. Do you know where I can get a bandage?"  
>I remembered the smell of Alaska, Mountain Dew, Chapstick, and cigarettes. She was for sure in Alaska's dorm. And I didn't know where the bandages were.<p>

"Well, I'm not sure where the bandages are, but I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Miles. Call me Pudge if you want. Welcome to The Creek."

"Pleased to meet you, Miles, I'm Emma."

She held out a thin hand. I grabbed it and shook it firmly.

XXXX

"So, Emma," I said as she and I walked back to her dorm, "where did you live before coming to Culver Creek?"

"I live in Collinsville, a town outside of St. Louis on the Illinois side. Where did you live?"

"I live in Florida, when I'm not here, of course."

"Of course." she repeated, affirmatively. "What is there to do around here?"  
>I sighed.<p>

"Not much," I said as we reached the porch of her dorm.

"So...what do _you _do for fun?" she asked.

"Eh, not much. Mainly, I just hang out with The Colonel and Takumi...and sometimes Lara.

"Oh. Who are they?"

"My friends."

"Could I meet them?"

"Uh…sure?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No. Not really."

"Oh… okay! When can I meet them?"

"Maybe later today."

"Cool!"

When she had asked me if she could meet my friends, I had immediately began to contemplate denying her. I wasn't entirely sure if they would "warm up" to her, because Alaska had died just last year. I didn't know if they would consider her a "replacement Alaska". Well, it was worth a shot.

My thoughts were interrupted by Emma's melodic voice.

"Well, Miles, I have to go."

"I guess I'll see you later."

"Goodbye, Miles."

"Goodbye."

I ran to room 43. When I arrived, The Colonel was sitting on the edge rail, drinking his ambrosia.

"That stuff is going to kill you soon enough, man," I said.

"The faster I go, the happier I'll be," he replied.

"What's your ordeal?"

"Been thinking about Alaska."

"How so?"

"Just been thinking.

"All right then."

I walked into the dorm and flopped down on my bed. I almost fell through the frame due to the stability of my bed, or lack thereof. I regained my balance, wiped the sweat off my brow, and reached underneath my mattress for my journal. I read through the pages and fell asleep still clutching it.


	2. The Unexpected

**THE DAY OF**

The next morning, I awoke with a start. I sat up so quickly that I smacked my head really hard on the top bunk where The Colonel was sleeping. Holding back my screams of agony in fear of waking him, I looked over at the alarm clock on the side table. It read "4:02 am". _What?_ I thought. It couldn't be that early. My phone began to ring.

_IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME! PEANUT…_

"Hello?" I whispered.

"Pudge? Are you there?" A hushed, frail voice answered.

"Who is this?"

"I'm so sorry, Pudge."

**"WHO IS THIS?"** I roared.

"You're never going to believe me," the voice sobbed, "This is Alaska."

I proceeded to dislodge my heart from my throat.

"I…but…you…" I stammered, choking on my words.

"Don't speak," Alaska said in her luscious voice. "I can explain."

"You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Yes, I know."

Alaska and I talked about what the circumstances of the night of the crash were. Apparently, she had taken some extreme depressant drug and that had put in her in a state of comatose like Juliet in _Romeo and Juliet_. But, just like in Romeo and Juliet, the drug wore off, and she had escaped the hospital and had paid the hospital staff not to reveal her name to anyone. She had posed as a girl named Rachel to avoid confusion. Supposedly, she had gotten the name Rachel from stealing someones mail from their mailbox. Just like Alaska. Always getting into trouble.

"Don't tell anyone, Pudge," she had said, "not even Chip."

"Okay. Anything for you, Alaska."

"Do you want to know why I faked my death?"

"Do I?"

"Probably."

"Okay, tell me."

"To get away from Jake."

"But, why?"

"I don't know. Just don't tell anyone. I want to tell them myself."

"I have so many questions."

"Fire away, Pudge."

"Where did you get a drug like that? Why did you not tell us about your plan? Are you coming back? Do you want to be called Alaska or Rachel? Did anyone else know you were alive? You confuse me."

"Here are your answers, in order: It's confidential, Pudge. I didn't want Chip to get angry at me. Maybe in like a week or two. Alaska. The hospital and some other people. And the last isn't a question."

"There's some things you should know, Alaska."

"What?"

"There's a girl that lives in room 143 now and Lara and I broke up."

Alaska paused for a moment.

"Tell the girl to get out of my dorm and I knew you and Lara wouldn't work out."

"Hey, Alaska. I gotta go. It's almost 6:00, and that's when The Colonel wakes up. I don't want him to ask who I'm talking to."

"Okay, I understand. Remember, don't tell anyone. I'll tell them myself."

"See you soon."

"Goodbye, Pudge."

"Goodbye, Alaska. Be safe. Don't get caught."

"Do you forget who you're talking to?"

Alaska and I laughed and we ended the conversation.

I closed my ancient flip-phone and got up quietly. The Colonel shifted positions in his bed, narrowly avoiding a fall from the top bunk. He sniffled and rolled over to the other side, but rolled too far and plummeted onto the concrete floor.

"UGH!" The Colonel grunted as he fell. "What?... why am I on the floor?"

"You rolled off the top bunk," I answered, trying hard to hold back my laughter.

"Okay, whatever you say," he replied, deadpan.

**Sorry for the short chapter. I'll have to write more in the near future. **


End file.
